> Title: Hand Embroidery on Clothing: Supply from India | Surajmal
> Source: https://surajmal.com/techniques/hand-embroidery
> Publisher: Surajmal Shobhachand

[Techniques](/techniques)

# Hand-embroidered clothing,  
_supplied from India._

Hand-embroidered kurtas, blouses, tops and dresses, with stitch references, motif dimensions and tests for the garment brief.

[Enquire→](/contact) [Send a tech pack](/contact)

Surajmal Shobhachand supplies hand-embroidered kurtas, blouses, tops and dresses from India for clothing brands.

Hand embroidery decorates fabric with stitches worked by hand.

Hand embroidery

- **Method**: Needle and thread, worked by hand

- **Stitch references**: Satin, stem, chain, French knot

- **Placements**: Yoke, neckline, cuffs or hem

- **Base fabric**: Cotton, linen or jersey

- **Colours**: A reference for each thread colour

- **Cost factors**: Design size and placement count

[Enquire about hand embroidery→](/contact)

## Hand-embroidered garments we supply

 [Ecru linen kurta with rose, sage and ochre floral embroidery around the placket Linen kurta, hand-embroidered floral yoke See tops & blouses →](/products/tops-blouses)

 [White cotton blouse with blue and yellow flowers embroidered around the neckline Cotton blouse, hand-embroidered neckline See tops & blouses →](/products/tops-blouses)

 [Natural linen dress with white and ochre daisies embroidered along the hem Linen dress, hand-embroidered daisies See dresses →](/products/dresses)

 [Ivory cotton tunic with floral embroidery at the cuffs and hem Cotton tunic, hand-embroidered border See tops & blouses →](/products/tops-blouses)

Have a style in mind? Send a reference garment and the quantity, and we quote it with hand embroidery.

[Request a similar style→](/contact)

## Hand embroidery on jersey

Jersey, the knit used for T-shirts, can be embroidered. Mark the chest motif size and position on the garment drawing.

White cotton jersey crew-neck T-shirt with a small terracotta flower and sage leaves at the chest 

## Hand embroidery or machine embroidery

### Hand-stitched flower

French knots give this flower a raised centre on the garment.

Terracotta flowers with sage leaves on two off-white cotton pieces, with knotted centres on the left and flat centres on the right 

### Machine-stitched flower

A filled centre gives this version a flat finish.

Specify the centre finish on the motif reference. For flat, puff and Schiffli work, see [machine embroidery](/techniques/embroidery).

## Specify the stitches in the motif

Specify satin stitch for the petals and French knots for the centre on the motif reference.

Stem stitch uses overlapping stitches to form outlines and stems.

Enlarged rose flower with an ochre knotted centre and sage stitched leaves beside an ecru linen kurta placket 

## Get a hand-embroidered garment quote

Send a reference garment or tech pack, the quantity and a motif drawing or photograph with its finished dimensions, placements and thread colours. We quote the garment with hand embroidery.

[Get a garment quote→](/contact)

## From motif to garment sample

1.  1
    
    ### Brief the motif
    
    Agree the design and its colour scheme.
    
2.  2
    
    ### Work it on the selected fabric
    
    Transfer the design to the garment part and embroider it with the specified stitches.
    
3.  3
    
    ### Approve the garment reference
    
    Approve the finished garment sample as the embroidery reference for bulk.
    

## Specifying hand embroidery on a tech pack

- **Garment and sizes**: Name the style and give the garment sizes.

- **Base fabric or quality reference**: State the composition and construction, or name a catalogue quality. See [cotton](/materials/cotton), [linen](/materials/linen) or [single jersey](/materials/single-jersey) for fabric options.

- **Motif reference**: Attach the drawing, photograph or reference garment.

- **Finished dimensions**: Give the width and height of each motif in millimetres.

- **Placements**: Mark every position on the garment drawing, with measurements from a fixed point.

- **Stitch reference**: Name the stitches for each part of the design, or attach a detail to match.

- **Thread colours**: Provide a reference for every thread colour.

- **Care and test requirements**: State the intended care, laundering conditions and acceptance criteria.

- **Quantity per colourway**: Give the order quantity by colourway and garment size.

Not sure of every line? Tell us what you are planning, and we will advise on what works best.

[Send this as a brief→](/contact)

## Tests for hand-embroidered garments

Test

Method

What it measures

Colourfastness to laundering[\[1\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm61/495/ "Source 1: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm61/495/")

AATCC TM61

Colourfastness under accelerated laundering for textiles washed frequently.

Colourfastness to crocking[\[2\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm8/481/ "Source 2: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm8/481/")

AATCC TM8

Colour transferred from the textile surface by rubbing.

Garment dimensional change[\[3\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm150/556/ "Source 3: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm150/556/")

AATCC TM150

Changes in garment length and width after home laundering.

Appearance after laundering[\[4\]](https://members.aatcc.org/store/tm143/551/ "Source 4: members.aatcc.org: /store/tm143/551/")

AATCC TM143

Smoothness appearance, seam smoothness and crease retention of washable textile products.

## Common questions about hand embroidery

### Do you supply hand-embroidered clothing for brands?

Yes. We make hand-embroidered clothing to your design and label. See [private label](/services/private-label) for a garment programme.

### Which fabrics can be hand embroidered?

Linen, cotton and silk are common base fabrics. Satin, crepe, georgette, chiffon and velvet are also used for hand embroidery.

### What affects the price of hand embroidery?

Design size and the number of embroidered placements affect the cost. Include both with the artwork and garment quantity for a quote.

### Which Indian embroidery names should we put on the brief?

Name the technique shown in the reference, such as [chikankari](/techniques/chikankari), [kantha](/techniques/kantha) or [zari](/techniques/zari). Include a motif detail to match.

A question this does not answer? [Ask us directly](/contact) and we reply within 24 hours.

## Related

[Embroidery](/techniques/embroidery) [Chikankari](/techniques/chikankari) [Kantha](/techniques/kantha) [Zari](/techniques/zari) [Mirror work](/techniques/mirror-work) [Dresses](/products/dresses) [Tops & blouses](/products/tops-blouses) [Single jersey](/materials/single-jersey) [Private label](/services/private-label)

## Developing a hand-embroidered collection?

Send the style list, motifs and quantities by colourway for a collection quote.

[Discuss your requirement→](/contact)
